Spraying or atomizing system.



H. E. STURCKE.

SPRAYING 0R ATOMIZING SYSTEM- APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1915.

Patented Aug". 27, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. E. STURCKE.

SPRAYING OR ATOMIZING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. l9l5.

1 77,269 Patented Aug. 2?, H318.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN EDWARD STURGKE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

srmmo on. nromzme sysrrism.

method of an apparatus for spraying or atomizing materials such asliquids or liquid compositions, and particularly for spraying liquidcompositions such as paints by the use of gas stored in containers whichtitle preferably though not necessarily porta le.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved method andapparatus of this character whereby the atomizing or spraying canbeefi'ected'by a constant stream of pressure gas. Some preferredembodiments of my invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which; Figure 1 is perspective view showing aportable machine when not in use.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a portable machine in use, saidmachine employing safety heating means and hereinafter described.

f Fig. 3 is a section taken through theheating means of Fig. 1.

Figs.4 and 5 show fragmentary views of modifications.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken through a well-known regulatingdevice employed in the present apparatus.

In accordance with the method of the present invention, which will bedescribed with reference to the preferred forms of apparatus hereinillustrated, I use as the atomizing or spraying medium, carbon dioxid oror other suitable gas under pressure, stored either in liquid or gaseousform in a container which is preferably portable, so that the containercan be readily transported to the position where it is to be used tosupply the gas for atomizing purposes. In carrying out my improvedmethod, it is immaterial whether or not the gas contained in thecontainer is inliquid or gaseous form, inasmuch as this feature of myinvention provides for the issuing of the carbon dioxid or the like fromthe container in gaseous form, and by applying heat evenly to the streamof issuing gas before it has an oppor- 7 Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Application filed May 14, 1915. Serial No. 28,101.

tunity to expand to a substantial extent, as

by passing it through a coil arranged in a liquid bath at a temperatureabove normal atmospheric temperature and preferably as high as possible,I have found fromactual practice that the gas issuing from the containerwill not tend to freeze in the outlet of the container and moreover,when passed through a pressure reducing valve or regulating'device, inorderthat its pressure may be reduced to that required at the atomizingor spraying tool, it will not freeze at the point of expansion. The gasmay or may not be re-heated in similar manner, and is then' conducted tothe spraying tool or receptacle 1 for the material to be sprayed, orboth to the receptacle and the tool. In addition to heating the issuingstream of gas in this manner, I sometimes find it desirable to heat thecontainer itself, either directly or indirectly or by means of-a liquidbath or by applying steam or hot gases against the container, and thisheating of the container may or may not be effected by the same heatingdevice which heats the liquid bath.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to thepreferred form of apparatus illustrated in Figs 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to said figures it will be noted that the apparatus comprisesa platform 10, mounted on wheels 11 and 12. Riveted or otherwisesuitably secured to the platform 10 are two vertical angle-iron framemembers 13, braced by vertical side plates 14 which serve to support theaxis of wheel 12. The wheels 11 are mounted in inclined bars 15, boltedat 16 to the uprights 13 and connected by the pins 17 to the side bars18, secured at 19 to the uprights 13. Across-bar 20 connects the twouprights 13, and a panel 21 is secured between the said uprights andserves as a support for the shelf 22 and the regulating meanshereinafter described. Handles 23 are pivoted at 19 to the uprights 13and are formed with the openings 24 adapted to take over the pins 17 sothat said handles can be swung from the position shown in Fig. 1 to thatof Fig. 2, and

. bath 33 contained in tank 34 mounted on shelf 22 and heated by anysuitable heating means, the device illustrated in Fig 1 being awell-known commercial type of kerosene burner 35. The gas leaving thecoil 32 passes up through pipe 36 into the regulating means 37 andassociated gage and 1nd1- cator 38,mounted on panel 21 and illustratedmore particularly in Fi 6, where the pressure of said gas is suitab yreduced; the extent of this reduction can be regulated in well-knownmanner by means of the handle 39. The outlet 40 of the regulator 37 isconnected with a pipe 41 leading to coil 42 which is also immersedwithin the liquid bath 33, and connected with the other end of thiscoil'is a pipe 43 leading to a valve 44 which controls the passage ofgas from said pipe 43 to pipe 45 to which is connected a flexible pipe46 (Fig. 2) preferably made of rubber or the like, and lead ng to thepaint receptacle 28. The flexible pipe 46 is connected with the interiorof the paint receptacle by the T-connection 47 which provides a branch48 leading to the regulating means 49, which is similar to theregulating means 37 and adjustable by the milled head 50, whereby thepressure oniop of the paint can be regulated to suit the requirementsfor use. end of said T-connection 47 to the painting tool or brush 52 ofwell-known kind, whereby the compressed gas issupplied to said tool.

The paint under pressure, forced by the compressed gas on the top of thepaint rein the container 26 is then permitted to leave ceptacle 28through the outlet 54 passes into the flexible pipe 55 leadingto thepainting tool, where the atomization of the issuing paint is effected bythe pressure gas from the pipe 55.

The operation of the improved painting apparatus will now be described.The paint receptacle 28 is removed from the hook 27 and placed upon theground, as shown in Fig. 2, and the burner 35 is lighted in order toheat the liquid contained'in the tank 34. The carbon dioxidcor like gasunder pressure said container -by opening the valve 29, which allowssaid gas to pass through pipe 31, coil 32, pipe 36, pressure regulator37, pipe 41, re-heating coil 42, pipe 43, valve 44,

The pipe 51 leads from the other pipe 45, flexible connection 46 topaint receptacle 28. The gas passing through the pressure regulatingvalve 49 to the top of the paint receptacle forces the paint in saidreceptacle at the desired ressure through the pipe 55 into the paintingtool, and the compressed gas passing through the T-connection 47 to theipe 51 also passes through the painting tooi under the required pressureto atomize the paint. It will be understood from the above that the gasreaches the heater without substantial expansion, so that no freezingoccurs during the passage of the gas through the pipe 31 to the coil 30.Care should be taken not to use too wide a pipe.

The devices which are herein referred to as pressure regulating valvesare of wellknown character, and in the example of the regulator 37herein shown, as illustrated in Fig. 6, comprises a casing 56 formed bytwo members 57, 58 between which is suitably secured a diaphragm 59 uponwhich is mounted a seat-supporting member 60 provided with a seat 61covering the small opening 62 at the conical end 63 of pipe 64 lead ingfrom the elbow 65 for theadmission of gas. Bearing on the other side ofsaid diaphragm is a spring 66 the tension of which can be regulated bymeans of a nut 67 mounted on screw shaft 68 in the casing and providedwith the operating handle 39. A pipe 69 at the top of the casing whichcannot be seen in this figure, but is visiblein' Fig. 3, leads to theindicating device 38 (Fig. 3), and the outlet 40 conducts the gas at thereduced pressure to the pipe 41 (Fig. 3).

While" this is a preferred form of pressure,

regulating or reducing valve, it will be understood that the inventioncontemplates the employment of any suitable or well-known form of deviceof this character.

The container 26 may contain either car bon dioxid or like gas underpressure or in liquified form, and may or may not beprovided withwell-known siphon means for leading the carbon dioxid to the outletvalve 29. w

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, steam generated by heating thewater bath 33 is applied against the side of the container 26 in orderto heat the contents of the container during the painting operation. Inthis modified form, the tank 34 is provided with a cover 35 which servesas a support for one or more nozzles 36 controlled by the valve 37 andwhich is adapted to direct the steam generated in the tank 34 againstthe side of. the container 26*. combustion gases from the burner 38 passthrough the opening or openings 39 in the supporting shelf 22 and panel21*, and are directed against the sides of the container 26, therebyheating the contents of the container as well as the tank. A slide 40with an opening 41 is arranged between the shelf In Fig. 5, the {hotsuitable plug of 22 and panel 21 and regulates the passage of hot gasthrough the openings 39".

In painting the interior of certain buildings, in order to comply withfire regulations and for the general purpose of safety, I may use a Davylamp for the purpose of providing the necessaryheating. Fig. 2 shows theuse of such a lamp, which is provided with the usual perforated screenAlternatively, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, I may employ anelectrical heating coil 7 0 immersed in the liquid, and supplied withheating current from a battery 71, which may be carried upon theplatform of the portable painting apparatus, the current from thebattery passing through the electrical connections 72, 7 3 controlled byswitch 7 4. In place of using a battery as a source of current supply,it will be obvious that the connections 72, 73 can be connected toelectric mains, or to the ordinary electric light sockets ina house orthe like by means of a a well-known character. In conjunction with theuse of an electrically heated coil or the like, instead of using a bathof water or the like to maintain an even temperature for heating thecoils 32, 42, I may employ a bath of toluol, parafiin or the like, whichpresent important advantages in that a maximum temperature can bemaintained without requiring any attention on the part of the operator,and there will be no' evaporation of the liquid contents of the tank 34.

I prefer to heat the gas in the liquid bath as much as possible, as this"materially assists in getting the best results While the improvedapparatus has been clescribed herein with reference to a method in whichthe carbon dioxid or the like leaves the container in gaseous form, itwill be understood that my improved apparatus is suitable for use incases where the carbon dioxid leaves the container in liquid form.

While my improved method and apparatus have been described herein withreference to the spraying or atomizing of paint, it will be understoodthat I contemplate the use of this apparatus with obvious modificationfor any kind of atomizing or s raying operation, such as the atomizing ometals or sand blast apparatus, and it will be obvious that many changeswill be made in the herein described method and apparatus withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appendedclaims. I

What I claim is 1. Method of atomizing or spraying material such aspaint by means of carbon dioxid in a pressure container, consisting inleading a stream of high pressure carbon dioxid as from said containerthrough-a heated liquid bath, thereby heating said gas, reducing thepressure of said heated gas, leading said gas at reduced pressurethrough a heated liquid bath whereby to re-heat said gas, and subjectingthe material to be sprayed to the action of said gas.

2. Method of atomizing or spraying material such as paint by means ofcarbon dioxid in a pressure container, consisting in leading a stream ofhigh pressure carbon dioXid gas through a heated liquid bath, thenreducing the pressure of said gas, and subjecting the material to besprayed to the action of said gas.

3. Method of atomizing or spraying material such aspaint by means of gasin liquid form in a pressure container, consisting in leading a streamof said gas in gaseous form at high pressure from said'container througha heated liquid bath, then heating said gas, and subjecting the materialto be sprayed to the action'of said gas.

4. Apparatus for atomizing o'r spraying material such as paint by meansof pressure gas consisting of a pressure container, a liquid bath, areceptacle for the material to be sprayed, a spraying tool, means forheating said liquid bath, means for leading the contents of saidcontainer through said bath, pressure reducing means, means for leadingthe contents of said container through said pressure-reducing meansafter leaving said liquid bath, and means for leading said contents tothe material to be sprayed.

5. An atomizing apparatus comprising a pressure container, a liquidbath, a receptacle for the material to be sprayed, a spraying tool,means for heating said liquid bath, means for leading the contents ofsaid con-' tainer through said bath, pressure-reducing means, means forsaid container through said pressure-reducing means after leaving saidliquid bath, a re-heating means connected with saidpressure-reducingmeans, and means for leading said contents of saidcontainer to the material to be sprayed after passing through saidre-heating means.

Signed at Brookl n, 'in the county of Kings and State of ew York, this13th day of May, A. D. 1915.

HERMAN EDWARD S-TURCKE.

Witnesses:

HENRY F. Momrr, JAMns McIN'rm.

leading the contents of

